Packaging shoelaces and the like



Jan. 5, 1943. H. A. MOE 2,307,530

' PACKAGING SHOE-LACES AND THE LIKE Filed Jun 22, 1941 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan, 5, 1943.

H. A. MOE

PACKAGING SHOE-LACES AND THE LIKE Filed July "22, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 3 III! 2 Patented Jan. 5, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PACKAGING SHOiZZfiES AND THE LIKE Application July 22, 1941, Serial No. 403,555

9 Claims.

The present invention relates to the packaging of shoe-laces, corset-laces or similar articles and materials, and more particularly to a method of and means for packaging such articles and materials and the resulting package therefor.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a method of packaging an article such as a shoelace by winding it on itself in overlying spiral coils or turns and applying a U-shaped fastener across the periphery and adjacent the sides of the wound lace to bind the coils together in a compact package.

Another object is to provide a method of the character indicated which comprises winding the shoe-lace or the like in overlying spiral coils with one of its tips serving as an axial core to provide a compact and tightly wound package.

Another object is to provide a method of and apparatus for simultaneously winding a pair of shoe-laces or the like in adjacent side-by-side relationship and applying and clinching a U- shaped fastener around the pair of wound laces to bind them together in a compact self-sustained package.

Another object is to provide an apparatus of the type indicated having a two-part mandrel for winding the shoe-laces and guiding and clinching the legs of the fasteners, with the separate parts of the mandrel relatively movable in an axial direction to removed therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of and apparatus for packaging shoelaces and the like which produces an improved form of package.

Further objects of the invention are set forth in the following specification which describes the method and a preferred form of apparatus for carrying out the steps of the method, by way of example, as illustrated by drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an apparatus incorporating certain novel features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevational View showing the mandrel partly in section and illustrating a pair of shoe-laces wound thereon and a fastener applied thereto to produce a self-sustained package;

adapt the wound laces to be,

the accompanying Fig. 3 is a part-sectional view similar to 2 showing One of the mandrel parts moved axially with respect to the other part to adapt the shoelace package to be removed therefrom;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the 5? of the package. The

relationship of the parts of the mandrel as adjusted for a winding operation;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 2 showing the overlying spiral coils of the shoe-lace wound on the mandrel;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view-of one of the heads of the two-part mandrel showing its axiallyprojecting key and the radial groove for guiding one of the legs of the fastener;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the opposite head of the mandrel showing the spaced axiallyprojecting blades providing a slot therebetween and the axially-directed slot in one of the axial blades;

Fig. 8 is a perspective shoe-lace package the invention;

Fig. 9 is a part-sectional front view of a modified form of winding mandrel; and V Fig. 10 is a perspective view of one of the heads of the two-part mandrel illustrated in Fig. 9. v

Heretofore shoe-laces have usually been put up in loose loops or elongate coils with a pair of the looped laces encircled by a paper band extending throughout a considerable portion of their length to bind them together and prevent them from uncoiling. Such encircling bands usually have advertising matter printed thereon indicating the name Or trade-mark of the particular wholesaler, jobber, or retailer by whom they are marketed.

view of one form of produced in accordance with The manufacturer must therefore apply different I bands to shoe-laces supplied to different customers. As a result, the manufacturer cannot package the shoe-laces as they are made, that is, if they are manufactured before being ordered the laces must be placed in stock and only packaged after the orders are received. If an order for a large quantity of shoe-laces is to be filled from stock considerable time is consumed in packaging the laces before they can be delivered.

In accordance with the present invention shoelaces maybe packaged as they are manufactured and later inserted into individual Cellophane envelopes or other suitable containers having the advertising indicia printed thereon. As a result of applicants invention orders may be filled by the manufacturer from stock with greater promptness than has heretofore been possible.

The present method of packaging shoe-laces consists in winding them in overlying coils or turns and applying a U-shaped metallic fastener to embrace the wound lace with the crossbar of the fastener extending across the periphery and the legs of the fastener lying adjacent the sides ends of the legs of the fastener may be clinched as the fastener is driven whereby the fastener binds together the coils of the wound lace to prevent displacement or unwinding thereof. Thus the winding of the shoelace and the application of the fastener thereto as described produces an attractive compact commercial package.

Preferably, a pair of shoe-laces are wound simultaneously in adjacent side-by-side relationship with the tips at one end of the laces constituting an axial core or support. The ends of the legs of the fastener are preferably bent toward each other or clinched at the center of the package to complete the binding action. It will be understood, however, that the' present method of packaging shoe-laces or like articles is applicable for producing practically any form of package. For example, if the usual form of shoe-lace package made up of loosely coiled elongate loops is desired a single fastener may be applied to encircle the pair of looped laces, or a plurality of such-fasteners may be applied along its length.

Fig. 1of the drawings illustrates a machine or apparatus for carrying out the steps of the 'presentmethod of packaging shoe-laces and like articles of commerce. The apparatus comprises a frame having a base 2 adapted to rest on the floor and a. column 3 supported from the base with a horizontal arm 4 projecting laterally therefrom adjacent its upper end. Rockably mounted on a pivot-pin 5 at the upper end of the'column 3 is a fastener-applying mechanism 6 which overlies the horizontal arm 4 and is "adapted to'cooperate with a shoe-lace coiling or winding'rnechanism 7 supported on the other end of the arm. The fastener-applyingmechanism 6 illustrated in Fig. '1 of the drawings is of wellknown construction as shown anddescribed in United States Letters Patent to Arthur H. Maynard, No. 2,045,397, issuedJune 23, 1936. Suffice it to state herein that the fastener-applying mechanism comprisesa'magazine-arm 8 for containing a supply of U-shaped metallic fasteners 'or-staples S and sli'dablymounted 'in'a head at the-outer end of the arm is a'driver 9 adapted 'to be reciprocated to drive the staples S from the magazine.

The 'driver '9 of the fastener-applying mechanism 6 is adapted to be actuated by an arcuate" double-sided lever ll] pivotally'mounted intermediate its ends on the extended ends of the pin 5 and having one end connected 'to'the driver 9 by means of links H. The -opposite end of the lever'lll is pivotally connected to'theouter end of a link it which together "with'a second link ll constitute a toggle. The lower ends of the toggle links it and IT- are connected to each other and to a head l8 adjustably mounted on a. 'g)lunger'r0d'i9,'wl1i1e the upper end of 'thetoggle link ll is pivotally connected'to the 'column 3. The plunger-rod [9 extends vertically "adjacent the column '3 and its lower end is conn'ectedto one end of a'foot-treadleZfl pivotally mounted intermediate'its ends on the base 2. "By

means of this construction depression of thefoottreadle 2b, acting through the plunger rod l9,

head l8 and toggle links l6 and I1 willrock the lever Ill in counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, to depress its forward end. 'Thismotion of the lever ill will first cause the magazinearm 8 to be swung downwardly toward the winding unit 1 and thereafter cause the driver 9 to be reciprocated to apply a fastener S. A- spring l5 connected atits 'upper end-tothe headlil 75 of the plunger-rod l9 and anchored at its lower end to the column 3 is adapted to restore the fastener-applying mechanism to its inoperative position illustrated in Fig. 1 when the treadle 2i! is released.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the shoe-lace coiling or winding mechanism 1 comprises a mandrel having two parts 2! and 22 rotatably mounted in bearings 23 and 24 formed as part of standards supported on and fastened to a suitable rest. on .the arm 4. The mandrel part 2| comprises a shaft 25 rotatable in the bearing 23 and a head 26 at its end. The head 26, shown in detail in Fig. '7, is in the form of a generally circular flange having one face abutting the bearing 23 and a pair of blades 28 and 29 extending laterally from its opposite face to provide an axial opening or slot 30 therebetween. One of the blades 28 is provided with a slot 3| extending at right-angles to the slot '30. A radially-extending groove 32 in-the for- 'ward face of the head 26 is disposed in alinement with the slot 3| to serve as a guide for one leg of a fastener S as it is driven by the fastenerapplying means 6. The lower end of the groove 32-is gradually curved -or rounded into the end of the slot 3L as indicated M33 in Fig. 4, to cause it to clinch the end-of the leg of a fastener S as it is driven.

Mountedon the endof the'shaft 22' extending outwardly from the bearing-23 is a crank-arm 31 fixedly connected to the shaft by means of a key 38 and-nut 33. A handle *40 rotatably connectcd to the outer end of the crank-arm 31 is slidable longitudinally in its bearing and has a detent-pin 4| atits inner end engageable with a recess 42 in the standard of the bearing 23. A --spring 43 positioned between-a flange on the handle 40 and the side of the crank-arm 31 normally tends to slide the handle in an axial direction to engage the detent-pin 4i with the recess 42.

Themandrel part 22 comprises a shaft 46 rotatably mounted in the bearing 24 and having a head 41 at its forward endand a handle-or knob 48 at its opposite end." The head 41, shown in 'detailin Fig. '6, comprises'a generally circular fiangesimilar to the radial-flange ofthe mandrel part 21 and a laterally-projecting key 50 of a shape and contour to adapt it to fit into the open end of the slot 30 between the blades 28' and-29 -of the mandrel part 2|. The mandrel part-22 is also provided witha radial groove5l forguiding a leg of the staple Sand thegrooveis curved inwardly at its lower end as indicatedby-the reference character 52to adapt it forclinchingthe end of the staple'leg. The shaft 4i5ofthev mandrel part 22 is slidable longitudinally of its axis in the bearing 24 to withdraw the head 4'! laterally from the head 26 of the mandrelpart 2! and a coiled spring 53-mounted on the shaft and acting between the head and bearing. 24' normally tends to move the head 41 towardthe head 26 to project the key 50 into the slot 30 inthe manner indicated in Fig. 4.

The arrangement of the fastener-applying mechanism 6 with respect to the winding mandrel 2|, 22 is such that when the detent-pin 4| of the handle 40 on the crank-arm"?! is engaged in the recess 42 in the standardfo'r the bearing '23 the driver 9 of the fastener-applying mechanism' is in'alinement' withthe 'grooves'"32 and 5| in' the mandrel "heads- 26' and'4'l see Figs. 2"and 5. One form 'of i'apparatus having now been described in"detail,"the mode of operation 'of the device to perform the steps of the method is as follows.

To start a winding operation the tips T at one end of a pair of shoe-laces L are inserted into the slot 30, see Fig. axially to release the detent-pin 4| from the recess 42 in the standard of the bearing 23 and the crank-arm 3'! is then rotated by means of the handle. Rotation of the crank-arm 31 keyed to the shaft 25 will rotate the mandrel part 2| and due to the engagement of the key 50 on the head 47 with the slot 30 in the head 25 both mandrel parts 2| and 22 will turn as a unit. As the mandrel 2 I, 22 is rotated it will wind the pair of shoe-laces L around the blades 28 and 29 in a series of overlying spiral coils or turns in sideby-side relationship in the manner illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5 with the heads 26 and 4'! guiding the coils of the shoe-laces as they are being wound. As the length of the slot 30 is substantially equal to the length of the tips T of the laces L the tips will eventually serve as a core or axial support for the coiled laces. Rotation of the mandrel 2|, 22 by means of the handle 40 is continued until the entire length of the shoe-laces is wound on the mandrel as illustrated in Fig. 5.

After the pair of shoe-laces L have been fully wound the operator releases the handle 40 which is actuated by the spring 43 to engage the detentpin t! with the recess 42 in the standard of the bearing 23 to aline the grooves 32 and 55 of the mandrel parts 21 and 22 with the driver 9 of the fastener-applying mechanism 6. The operator then depresses the treadle 20 which acting through the plunger-rod l9 and toggle links It and H will rock the lever ID on its pivot 5 in contraclockwise direction. As the lever in is rocked in this manner it will first act to rock the magazine-arm 8 downwardly to engage its forward end with the top of the mandrel 21, 22 and thereafter it will operate the driver 9 to apply a fastener S. As the driver 9 and fastener S are in alinement with the grooves 32 and 5| in the heads 26 and 41 of the mandrel parts 2i and 22 the legs of the U-shaped staple S will be guided by the grooves as the staple is driven. At the end of the driving stroke the ends of the fastener legs will engage the curved portions 33 and 52 at the bottom of the grooves 32 and El and be deflected inwardly toward each other to clinch them under the first coils of the wound laces adjacent the tips T, see Fig. 2. In this Way the fastener S will be applied in position around the periphery and sides of the wound laces and clinched at the center thereof to bind the shoelaces together in a compact self-sustained package P. r

To remove the shoe-lace package P from the mandrel 2!, 22 the operator withdraws the mandrel part 22 axially from the mandrel part 2!. For this purpose the operator may grasp the knob 48 at the end of the shaft 46 and slide the mandrel part 22 axially against the action of the spring 53 to the position illustrated in Fig. 3. The package P may then be removed from the mandrel head 28 by disengaging it from the blades 28 and 29, the transverse slot 3| permitting the clinched ends of the fastener S to slide outwardly therethrough.

The resulting package P may comprise a pair of shoe-laces or like articles L Wound in overlying spiral coils in adjacent side-by-side relationship with the tips T providing an axial sup- 2. The handle 4|] is slid 'coils together.

those herein shown port and the fastener s securely binding the After thepackage P is removed from the device the operator releases the knob 48 of the mandrel part 22 which will then be automatically projected toward the opposite mandrel part 2| by the spring 53. At the end of the return movement of the mandrel part 22 the key 50 thereon will enter the open end of the slot 30 between the blades 28 and 29 to key the two parts of the mandrel together for rotation as a unit. The operator also releases the foot-treadle 2B and the fastener-applying mechanism 6 will thereupon be returned to the inoperative position illustrated in Fig. l by the spring l5 which acts on the plunger-rod I9 and toggle links I6 and I! to rock the lever ID in clockwise direction whereby to raise the driver 9 and lift the magazine-arm 8. As the driver 9 is raised in the head of the fastener-applying mechanism 6 the supply of fasteners S in the magazine-arm 8 are advanced by suitable means to position the foremostfastener beneath the driver to be driven during the next operation of the treadle 20.

It will be understood that the present drawings are for purposes of illustration only and that the mandrel may be rotated, the fastenerapplying means operated and the mandrel parts moved axially of each other by other means than and described.

Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate a modified form of construction of the winding mandrel. In this form of construction the two parts 60 and 6| of the mandrel are of identical construction but of op- A radial groove 66 and a transverse slot 6'! is provided in the blade 63 of each head with the lower end of the groove curved as indicated at 68. A spring 69 acting between the bearing 24 and the head of the mandrel part 6| yieldingly urges the latter toward the head of the other mandrel part 60. Thus the mandrel parts 60 and El cooperate to form a continuous axial slot 55 and the transverse slots 67 aline to provide a continuous slot across the upper blades 63. With the construction illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 the mandrel parts 66 and 6| may be suitably connected or their shafts geared them for rotation as a unit.

The winding mandrel 60, 6| may be operated in the same manner as explained with respect to the mandrel 2 I, 22 illustrated in Figs-1 to 7 to wind a pair of shoe-laces L and a fastener S may be applied by the fastener-applying mechanism 6 by the same instrumentalities as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. With this form of construction, however, the blades 63' and 64 of each mandrel part 60 and BI extend to the center of the package P only to facilitate its removal.

improved method of and apparatus for packaging shoe-laces and a novel form of shoe-lace package produced thereby. It will be observed also that the present invention provides for pack aging the shoe-laces as they are manufactured so that orders therefor may be quickly filled from stock. It will be observed further that the method of the present invention facilitates the operation of packaging shoe-laces with a comparatively simple and inexpensive apparatus.

While a preferred method and suitable apparatus for carrying out the steps of the method together to adapt -are herein described and illustrated it will be gether and .side-by-side relationship,

understood that modifications maynbe made in.

the :steps of the method and inthe form of construction of 1 the .apparatus without departing from thespirit or. scope of the invention. For example, the mandrel may be so formed as to wind a package .of-anydesired contour, such as with the usual elongate coils, and the fasteners may embrace the entire shoe-lacepackage instead of being clinched at the center of the package as in the illustrated embodiment. Therefore, without limitingmyself in this respect, I claim:

,1. The method of packaging shoe-laces or the like which comprises winding a shoe-lace in overlying turns, applying a U-shaped fastener to embrace all of the turns from the periphery of the winding to its axis, and clinching the ends of the legs of the fastener to bind the turns toprovide a self-sustainedpackage.

2. The method of packaging shoe-laces or the like which comprises simultaneously winding a pair of shoe-laces in overlying turns in adjacent applying a U-shaped fastener to embrace all of the wound turns of the pair of shoe-laces, and clinching the ends of the legs of the fastener to bind together the pair of wound laces and the turns of each lace and providea self-sustained package.

3. The method of packaging shoe-laces having tips at their ends which comprises gripping the tips. at one end of apair of laces and rotating the same to cause the laces to wind thereon in adjacent spiral'coils, applying a U-shaped fastener across the periphery of the coiled laces and adjacent the opposite sides thereof, and clinching the ends of the legs of the fastener inwardly toward .each other at the center of the wound coils to bind the .pair of laces together and retain them in coiled form.

4. A package of shoe-laces or the like comprising a lace wound in overlying spiral coils with a U-shaped fastener embracing the periphery and sides of the wound coils with the ends of its legs clinched at the axis of the coils to provide a self -sustained package.

5. A package of shoe-laces or the like comprising a pair of laces wound in overlying spiral coils arranged in adjacent side-by-side relationship with a U-shaped fastener extending across the periphery and adjacent the sides of the wound coils with the ends vof its legs clinched at the axis of the "coils to .provide a self-sustained package.

6. A device for packaging shoe-laces and the like comprising a rotary mandrel having means for holding one end of the lace to wind it on 'therebetween for receiving itself in spiral coils and means for supporting the coils at the sides, fastener-applying means supported adjacent'the mandrel in cooperative relation thereto'to apply a fastener with its crossbar overlying the periphery of the wound coils and its legs straddling the sides thereof, and means on the mandrel for bending the legs of the fastener to clinch them through the axial center of vthe coils.

'I. A device for packaging shoe-laces and the like comprising a rotary winding mandrel having means adjacent its axial center for holding the end of a lace and portions adapted to abut the edges of a lace wound in spiral coils therebetween, fastener-applying means supported in cooperative relation to the mandrel and adapted to drive a fastener with its legs straddling the sides of the wound coils of the lace on the mandrel, and clinching means on the mandrel for bending the ends of the legs of. the fastener toward each other to bind the coils of the lace together to form a substantially cylindrical self-sustained package.

8. A device for packaging shoe-laces and the like comprising a, mandrel having an axial slot to receive a shoe-lace tip and a second slot extendingat right-angles to the plane of the firstmentioned slot, means for rotating the mandrel to wind the lace in overlying spiral coils, and fastener-applying means cooperating with the mandrel for applying a U-shaped fastener through the second-mentioned slot in the mandrel to embrace the coils of the wound lace.

9. A device for packaging shoe-laces and the like comprising a mandrel having two parts relatively movable axially with each part having a head, at least one of the parts of the mandrel having spaced blades extending at right-angles to the face of the head to provide an axial slot the ends of a pair of laces and at least one of the spaced blades having a slot therein extending at right-angles to the slot between the blades, means for rotating the mandrel to wind the pair of laces thereon 

